1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the transfer of public and private data to a private information space and in particular to the transfer, storage and synchronization of media data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital media has become increasingly more popular and is considered by many to be one of the current “revolutions” taking place in the computing and entertainment industries. Digital audio and video are becoming as mainstream as text and graphics are on the World Wide Web. This “revolution” opens tremendous opportunities for industry innovation in the manner in which people use this technology at home, work, and on the road. Distribution of digital media via the Internet has been a driving factor of this revolution. As a result, however, a user may acquire and store digital media on one network-coupled device, such as a personal computer coupled to the user's business network connection, but may desire to transfer that information and maintain a library of this digital media on other network-coupled devices, such as a personal computer at the user's home, a notebook computer which travels with the user, or even a palm-top computer.
Digital media content can be acquired from a multiplicity of sources. In particular, digital media content can comprise a series of files such as MPEG, MP3, RealAudio, and the like, which may be saved to a storage device, such as a hard drive on a computer, and which a user may wish to have present on a multiplicity of the user's individual devices. At present, there is no way to ensure that all files of a particular type, or in a particular directory, are the same throughout a series of machines. This series of machines can comprise a “personal information space” which is made up of information selected by the user to be input into the user's own hard drive. Hence, the personal information space may comprise public or private data selected by the user which is inserted into any one or more of a user's network-coupled devices. The network-coupled devices can have their own storage or which may be connected to the network to receive data from the network and to process the data using the device's processor and software.
In other areas, management of a user's personal data between different systems which can couple directly to each other has been addressed. For example, numerous systems allow management of an individual's personal contact information, such as files, contact and address data. Personal information managers (PIMs) may comprise software applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Symantec's ACT!, and other similar programs running on a personal or laptop computer. PIMS may also comprise personal digital assistants (PDAs) such as those using the Palm or Microsoft Windows CE (also known as Pocket PC) operating systems. Each PDA generally includes calendar, contact, personal tasks, notes, documents, and other information, while more sophisticated devices allow a user to fax, send e-mails, and communicate in other ways both by wireline and wirelessly. Even advanced cellular phones carry enough memory and processing power to store contact information, surf the web, and provide text messaging. Along with the growth in the sophistication of these devices, the need to transfer information between them has grown significantly as well.
In addition, many Internet web portals also now provide file storage, contact and calendar services. For example, major service portals such as Yahoo!™, ExciteSM, Lycos®, Snap!™ and others provide on-line calendar and contact manager services via a web browser and user account. This allows a user to log in to their own calendar and address book from any Internet-capable web browsing application since the user's individual data is stored on a host server maintained by the web portal provider.
Hence, each individual is presented with a multitude of different device types and options for maintaining a “personal information space”—a data store of information customized by, and on behalf of the user which contains both public data the user puts into their personal space, private events in the space, and other data objects such as text files or data files which belong to the user.
Once information in one part of one's personal information space is defined, users are presented with the daunting task of keeping information between the different devices in the space synchronized. For example, if an individual keeps certain data files as well as a calendar of information on a personal computer in his or her office using a particular personal information manager application, the individual would generally like to have the same information available on other devices, including, for example, a cellular phone, notebook computer, hand-held organizer, and home personal computer. Generally, the individual wants to ensure that the information stored on these devices is the most current version of the data as well.
Conventionally, synchronization of documents and personal information between different devices typically occurs through direct connection between the devices.
Patent application Ser. Nos. 09/490,550 now U.S. Pat No. 6,694,336; Ser. No. 09/491,675 now copending; and Ser. No. 09/491,694, now U.S. Pat No. 6,671,757 disclose a novel method and system for synchronization of personal information including that which is conventionally found in desktop applications, personal digital assistants, palm computers, and website calendar and address services, as well as any content in the personal information space including file systems, contact information and/or calendaring information. In one aspect, the system disclosed in patent application Ser. Nos. 09/490,550 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,336; Ser. No. 09/491,675 now copending; and Ser. No. 09/491,694, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,757 comprises a series of device engines which can be utilized on or in conjunction with any personal information manager application or device, on servers, or both, which can connect via a communications network, such as the Internet, to transfer information in the form of differenced data between respective applications and respective devices. In essence, the system of patent application Ser. Nos. 09/490,550 now U.S. Pat No. 6,694,336; Ser. No. 09/491,675 now copending; and Ser. No. 09/491,694, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,757 creates a personal information space or personal information store that is comprised of the set of transactions which defines the movement of information between one device, the intermediate storage server, and other devices, and which is unique to an individual user or identifier.
This personal information space is defined by the content which is specific to and controlled by an individual user, generally entered by or under the control of the individual user, and which includes “public” events and data—those generally known to others—and “private” events and data which are not intended to be shared with others. It should be recognized that each of the aforementioned criteria is not exclusive or required, but defines a characteristic of the term “personal information space” as that term is used herein.
A number of different system embodiments are disclosed in the aforementioned co-pending patent applications. However, the manner in which information is input to each of the devices which may be defined as part of the personal information space varies. Certain devices take direct input from other electronic devices such as scanners or electronic input such as vCARDs. In most cases, the information must be manually input via the user interface of one of the devices, e.g. typing contact information into a computer application.
The same is true for digital media: it is accessible from sources and a user may desire to transfer all or some portion of the media within a user's personal information space. Digital media comes in many forms. Two of the most common are Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG 1, Audio Level 3 or “MP3”) encoded format and Liquid Audio format. A number of means are available for accessing digital music, including direct conversion of one's personal music collection, music from public websites such as MP3.com and decentralized file sharing programs such as Napster. However once a digital media file is within an individual's personal information space, no effective mechanism exists to move the digital media file to other devices within the personal information space. Users would benefit from a mechanism allowing them to select individual files, or all or a portion of a directory of files, and move them to different devices in the personal information space effectively and efficiently. An effective means allowing users to move digital media files around the personal information space would be a great advantage in the continued development of personal information spaces and the Internet.